Persona dolls are a great way to introduce young children to ideas like other religions. Elizabeth is a Christian persona doll. Downloadable here is a series of sessions designed for use with a persona doll to explore Christianity through special times (Baptism, Christmas, Easter, Harvest, prayer) special places (nature/creation, church), special books (the Bible) and special people (Jesus). Also available here is a PowerPoint presentation of Elizabeth's church.

Need some inspiration for presents? Wired.com's GeekDad comes to the rescue with five surprising ideas which are time-tested, should fit any budget and suit a wide age range so you get the most play out of each one. Read their article here.

‘So, what is the nativity?’

Here is a silly sketch I wrote a few years ago when I was a youth and children’s worker for a church.

If you’re thinking about at spicing up your family Christmas services this year, and I don’t mean serving mulled wine (although how great would that be!), here are a few clips from YouTube that retell the nativity story all with a visual edge to them - enjoy…

"This is without doubt the best collection of children’s advent and Christmas resources that I have come across." - thegoodbookstall.org.uk

Here is a great new resource from Norfolk diocese which is a new musical script that tells the Nativity story. It looks lovely – please do take the time to check it out.

What can we do at Christmas to help others, and how can that be driven by faith? Children from St Barnabas Church of England Primary School in Montpelier, Bristol show how anyone can get involved and help in a "Christmas appeal" film they made about the Sisters of the Church in St. Paul's.

The Winter 2010 Newslink for Youth and Children's Workers features creative ideas for Christmas crafts, prayer and worship, drama and discussion, articles on exploring silence and the challenges of working with mixed age groups, and recommended resources and training, including details of the new Key 2 sessions for 2011.

What happens when Year 6 students feel that they have heard the same story, the same way, every year at Festival time? They can think they have learned nothing new since reception, and exciting festivals can become stale and offputting. So how can we keep the stories and celebrations fresh?

How can faith inspire someone to help others and live a life of self-sacrifice? Children from St Barnabas Church of England Primary School in Montpelier, Bristol look at this in a film they made about the Sisters of the Church in St. Paul's. You can now see this film online.